


Across The Line

by Dollars_tore



Category: Durarara!!
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, I don't actually hate him I swear, Injury Recovery, Izaya gives him all the hugs, Major Character Injury, Masaomi is kind of an asshole in this, Mikado Ryuugamine needs a hug, Other, Possessive Izaya, Protective Anri, Protective Celty, protective Izaya, slightly OOC
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-12
Updated: 2021-02-02
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:14:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 12,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27525169
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dollars_tore/pseuds/Dollars_tore
Summary: Izaya hadn’t known what to expect when he told Masaomi about Mikado’s true identity but it definitely wasn’t this.
Relationships: Orihara Izaya/Ryuugamine Mikado
Comments: 4
Kudos: 56





	1. Discovery

**Author's Note:**

> Writing Izaya is surprisingly difficult.

For probably the first time in his life, Izaya found himself rendered speechless. The cause of his current shock? He’d been planning on visiting the Dollars’ leader soon, with the intentions of warning him about the increasing risk regarding his identity, though it was clear he’d arrived too late.

Sure, the teen’s apartment wouldn’t have won any hygiene awards the last time he’d stopped by, but now? The door resting on the ground where it had been torn off its hinges, one window shattered and the most concerning part? That was definitely blood. No, the most concerning part was definitely the silence.

“Mikado?” His usual teasing tone was laced with concern, something he would probably be scolding himself for under different circumstances. He didn’t hear a reply, not that he was expecting one considering the state of the boy’s apartment.

He briefly wondered whether the young gang leader had managed to get away before shaking the thought off, he hadn’t seen any blood outside the apartment so the source of it must still be inside.

“Mikado?” He called out again, gaze snapping to the only other room in the apartment when he heard a thud. He didn’t hesitate before wrenching it open, though a part of him wished he hadn’t when he saw what was waiting for him on the other side.

Izaya had seen more than his fair share of messed up shit over the course of his career, but this? He never would’ve expected this. Mikado was slumped against the wall, his clothes stained with more blood than Izaya had ever thought possible, the informant couldn’t see his face from this angle but he doubted it was any better. Already shrugging off his jacket, the taller male knelt down, trying not to stare at the swelling around the boy’s eyes as he carefully draped the warm material around his shoulders.

“Iz-a?” The confused whimper was reassuring and Izaya found himself smiling despite how painful it sounded. He wasn’t sure whether the boy knew he was there, but it was pleasing knowing that he was thinking about him, he shook the thought off quickly; there’d be time for that later – preferably after the boy wasn’t so close to bleeding out.

“Don’t speak.” He instructed, hoping that the teen was aware enough to understand. Finding the boy’s first aid kit was easy enough but Izaya knew, even before opening it, that there wouldn’t be enough to properly treat him. He bandaged the worst of his wounds, smiling apologetically when he accidently bound them too tight despite knowing his young friend? Acquaintance? Couldn’t see it.

After deciding that there was nothing more that he could do from here, the informant sent a brief message to the local transporter, the biker would get here soon. He knew he should probably leave, get out of here before anyone else could find out that he was involved but he’d already given the teen his signature jacket, and the idea of anyone finding the boy alone in this state left a bad taste in his mouth.

Raking a surprisingly steady hand through his hair, the informant leaned against the doorway, both to keep an eye on the teen’s condition and to make sure no one decided to come back and finish the job. He had his suspicions but he didn’t exactly want to start dishing out justice before hearing Mikado’s side of things, sure he enjoyed messing with people but he usually tried to avoid completely destroying someone’s life if it wasn’t deserved.

The familiar screech of the dullahan’s bike reached his ears sooner than he expected, the woman herself was shoving that PDA of hers in his face moments later.

[What happened?] He didn’t respond verbally, merely stepping aside to let her see the damage for herself. Izaya didn’t need to look at her to know her shoulders were shaking in barely-supressed fury, she’d been oddly protective of the boy ever since the day he hadn’t screamed when seeing what was under her helmet – or more specifically, what wasn’t. Something which had only become more obvious after she’d learned he was one of the people she’d been talking to all this time – yes Izaya already knew who she was, don’t look so surprised – it would be endearing at any other time, but right now? He didn’t exactly like having shadows pinning him to a door frame.

[What did you do?] That probably would have stung if he were anyone else, but he couldn’t exactly fault the biker for her assumptions. If his suspicions were correct then he definitely deserved this.

“For once, nothing, I just found him like this.” That wasn’t entirely true but he decided it didn’t matter when he felt the shadows release him. He watched the biker as she carefully picked the boy up, trying to ignore the brief pang of jealousy as he followed them out.

“I’m coming with you.” He responded to the questioning head-tilt – helmet-tilt? - internally sighing in relief when she made no motions to fight him on it. The ride to Shinra’s apartment felt longer than usual despite knowing the dullahan was going faster than usual.

The doctor himself had been rather solemn when they arrived, the usual teasing that Izaya had long-since become accustomed to was absent as they walked through the door. They hadn’t even exchanged greetings before he whisked Mikado off to be properly treated.

[Are you alright?] The question startled him, mostly because he hadn’t realised the dullahan was still in the room. He wasn’t sure why she was asking, they weren’t friends and he knew she only put up with him because her partner? Considered him a friend.

“That’s not important right now.” He allowed some annoyance to slip into his tone, hoping that his host would take the hint and back off. That didn’t seem to be the case as the PDA was once again shoved in his face.

[I don’t know why, but you care about Mikado. Seeing him like that couldn’t have been easy.] Damn it, was he really that easy to read? He didn’t bother answering, choosing instead to glare at a random spot on the wall until he heard her leave. Was he being rude? Probably, did he care? No.


	2. Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izaya’s concern grows and Shinra decides to play wingman.

Izaya wasn’t sure how long he’d been sitting there before Shinra emerged, the stiffness in his spine told him it’d been a while though he’d be lying if he said he cared, the blood on the man’s sleeves sent another pang through his heart but he paid it no mind.

“How is he?” His voice was gravely in a way it hadn’t been since high school, maybe he’d been crying? Not that it mattered. The doctor was smiling, it was a sad thing, but it was still promising.

“Well, he won’t be dying anytime soon, but he’s not entirely in the clear.” Izaya leaned back with a relieved sigh, barely noticing the cracking in his spine after holding still for so long. He didn’t notice the amused glance the doctor and dullahan shared.

“Lay it on me.” He instructed, hoping his feigned indifference didn’t sound as fake as it felt. Shinra didn’t even blink, not that the informant had expected him to, the doctor had learned most of his quirks early on after all.

“The bruising should disappear on its own, I’m sure I don’t need to tell you of all people what to do if it’s really bothering him.” Had they still been in high school, the doctor would’ve had a knife flying passed his head. But this wasn’t high school, and even barring the injured gang leader in the next room as well as the being of legend currently staring him down, Izaya liked to think he’d matured more that – his frequent clashes with a certain former bartender were irrelevant. Wait.

“When did I say I was planning on looking after him? Isn’t that your job?” The current expression on his friend’s? Associate’s? Face would have been amusing at literally any other time, but right now? Now he was wishing he hadn’t let the man get as close as he did, and when did he learn to smirk like that? Maybe he really was a bad influence.

“I see the way you look at him Izaya, you might have fooled yourself but you can never trick me. Not when it comes to love.” The man had the gall to laugh at him, and judging by the shaking of her shoulders, the dullahan was doing the same. Izaya didn’t try to grab his knife, no, he was a bigger person than that – the fact that he’d left it in the jacket he’d given to Mikado was irrelevant.

“Fine, you’ve made your point.” He grumbled, silently reminding himself that Mikado’s condition was more important than the current mess he called his feelings. Shinra clearly thought the same, though that was probably more due to the shadows flickering anxiously around the other being currently occupying the room.

“The swelling around his eyes is concerning, I’ve wrapped it as best as I could and I’d recommend icing it for around five or ten minutes daily. I can’t be certain about any permanent eye damage at this stage; we’ll have to wait for the swelling to go down before that.” That was troubling, Ikebukuro wasn’t exactly kind to those with no means of defending themselves and vision impairments were no exception.

“What about brain damage?” The doctor merely shook his head, hands raised in a placating gesture.

“From what I can tell, there was no damage to his skull. Other than the swelling I just mentioned and a split lip, his head was mostly left untouched.” Izaya forced himself to relax, cracking his neck before motioning for the other man to continue.

“Some of his fingers had popped out at the joints. I’ve set and taped them so they should be fine as long as he keeps the tape on for a week or two.” Any lingering hopes Izaya had for this to have just been a random stroke of bad luck vanished; no random street thug would’ve taken the time to do that. This had been calculated, and the informant felt the guilt welling up again at just how close the timing was.

“He had a few knife wounds, one near his ribs, quite a few on his legs. The one near his ribs missed anything important, thankfully…” Shinra trailed off then and Izaya swallowed hard around the lump in his throat, he already had a feeling he wasn’t going to like what the doctor said next.

“The bones aren’t broken but his assailant did manage to damage the muscles, I can’t rule out the possibility of him losing functionality in them.” Izaya felt as though someone had dropped a bucket of icy water over him. He tensed up again, torn between charging into the other room to see the boy’s condition himself and hunting down the person who did this to him.

“I want him to keep off his legs until it’s safe to remove the stitches, we can discuss physiotherapy options then.” It was something at least, the informant grudgingly conceded, raking a hand through his hair as he considered his next steps.

“I want to see him. No, I need to see him.” He wasn’t entirely sure that it was the right decision, but the smile on Shinra’s face and the gentle tilt of Celty’s helmet was enough reassurance.

The room he’d been led to, while feeling infinitely more homey than any of the hospital rooms Izaya had ever stayed in, still carried the same solemn air, the lingering scent of antiseptic only enhancing it. Spotting Mikado was easy enough, Izaya’s brow furrowed at just how small the teen looked.

The blanket was pulled up to the teen’s shoulders, easily hiding the majority of his injuries, Izaya could’ve probably convinced himself the boy was merely sleeping if not for the bandages covering his eyes. He took a seat in the lone chair next to the bed, being mindful of the tape as he gently grabbed the boy’s hand. He knew Shinra and Celty were watching from the doorway but he couldn’t bring himself to care, they had saved Mikado’s life after all.


	3. Awakening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikado wakes up and Izaya adds a few names to his hit-list.

Izaya wasn’t sure when exactly he fell asleep but he must’ve been out for a few hours if the dull ache in his back was anything to go by, he carefully released his hold on Mikado’s hand in favour of messaging Namie to cancel his appointments for the week, he’d just put his phone back in his pocket when the door opened.

“How is he?” He glanced up when he heard Shinra speak, idly noticing that the doctor was carrying an ice pack and a mug. He didn’t bother answering, the boy hadn’t woken up yet and it was unlikely that there would’ve been any noteworthy changes over night.

“You know, it’s strange.” He blinked up at him in confusion, brow furrowing at the soft smile adorning the doctor’s face. Shinra didn’t respond for a few moments, merely handing him the mug before carefully placing the ice pack over his patient’s eyes.

“I’ve never known you to care about someone this much.” Izaya didn’t comment, it wasn’t as though he could deny it. There were probably only a grand total of four people the informant could ever claim to care for, and Shinra was the only other person who knew it.

“Yeah well, I can’t exactly lose my best piece this early can I?” The excuse tasted bitter in his mouth and he quickly swallowed some of his drink in a futile attempt to get rid of it, the liquid burned as it slid down his throat but he couldn’t bring himself to care. The truth was that Mikado had stopped being a simple pawn before he’d let the boy’s true identity slip, he wasn’t sure what to consider the teen now but he definitely wasn’t just a mere acquaintance.

“As I said yesterday Izaya, you can fool yourself but you can’t fool me.” He briefly glared at the other man but there wasn’t any real heat in it. Sure, he cared about the young gang leader but did he really love him? His brow furrowed in thought; the teen had definitely caught his interest, even back when all he knew about the boy was his online alias, and sure, maybe he had given the teen a lot more freebies than any of his other clients but love? He wasn’t sure he knew what that felt like.

“Maybe.” He conceded, he wasn’t agreeing with the doctor, neither was he arguing against him but he wasn’t exactly in the mood for the usual back and forth. Shinra seemed to be aware of it too.

“Why don’t you go and freshen up a bit? I can send Celty to get you if he wakes up.” He wanted to refuse but he knew Shinra wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer, not after he’d spent the night sleeping in an office chair. He reluctantly nodded his agreement, cringing as he stood up, he’d need a new spine if he kept this up. The informant didn’t bother grabbing his jacket, though he did retrieve one of the easier-to-conceal knives from one of the inside pockets before he left, needed to be prepared for potential encounters with street sign-wielding former-bartenders after all.

He opted to walk back to his apartment, deciding the fresh air and exercise would do him more good than catching a ride. He mostly ignored the glances he could feel being directed his way, either he looked more of a wreck than he thought or he was just that unrecognisable without his jacket, not that he really cared.

He arrived home sooner than he expected, though that was probably down to him being lost in thought. He’d have to remember to be careful, sure he was easily more valuable alive than dead but that wasn’t always enough to deter would-be attackers, and he wasn’t exactly in the mood for any of his usual mind games.

The informant showered quickly before changing into something a bit more comfortable, grabbing one of his hoodies after a single moment of hesitation, it wasn’t as warm as his signature jacket but it would do for the time being. He slipped the knife up one of his sleeves before retrieving his phone from where he’d left it to charge, deciding to answer a few emails while he waited for the dullahan. She appeared a few moments later as though summoned by his thoughts and he only paused for a few seconds before climbing on, she didn’t give him a helmet, she never did.

They arrived at the apartment much quicker than last time, though Izaya knew he was probably imagining that, and neither of them wasted any time before heading to Mikado’s temporary room. Izaya felt the band around his heart loosen when he saw the teen sitting up, the boy was confused if the furrow of his brow and the downward tilt of his mouth was any indication, but he was alive and right now? That was all the information broker cared about.

“Mikado?” Izaya watched as the boy’s head automatically turned to face him and couldn’t help but smile when he titled his head in confusion, even without being able to see his eyes the boy was adorable, wait what? Where did that thought come from?

“Izaya?” There was a surprising lack of weariness in the boy’s tone, confusion? Yes, but the informant was willing to wager that had more to do with the teen’s lack of sight rather than his own presence. He reclaimed the seat he’d slept in the night before, ensuring his footsteps were audible as he drew nearer. Mikado seemed to be following the sound easily enough and Izaya couldn’t help but smile when he felt the teen’s hand awkwardly grab his own; it was probably due to a need for human contact instead of him actually wanting to seek comfort from him but the informant would take what he could get.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, the tenderness of his tone surprising even him. It was clear he’d surprised Mikado as well if the slight head tilt and gaping mouth were anything to by.

“Achy…scared.” The boy answered truthfully, ducking his head out of embarrassment or shame. Izaya hummed in acknowledgement, gently stroking the back of the boy’s hand in a rather flimsy attempt at providing comfort. It was clear Shinra had given him painkillers before they’d arrived, the informant would’ve been suspicious – at the very least – if his pain tolerance was that high.

“That’s understandable.” He reassured, smiling sadly when the boy hesitantly raised his head. He didn’t need to see the teen’s eyes to know they carried the same hopeful sheen they did the first time he’d asked the informant for help.

“It is?” Of course it was, the boy had survived an attempt on his life and had woken up only to learn his eyes, hands and legs were currently out of commission, of course it was understandable that he’d be scared. He said as much to him and watched as the teen’s shoulders shook with supressed-sobs, though whether it was because he couldn’t cry or was trying not to Izaya didn’t know. He allowed the boy a few moments to calm down before asking his next question.

He listened intently as the boy explained what had happened, how Masaomi had asked if he could visit only to show up with a group of people all wearing the bandanas associated with the Yellow Scarves. The only thing keeping the informant from hunting the blonde right now was the knowledge that the gang leader hadn’t actually raised a hand against Mikado himself, but knowing that he just stood by and watched? Izaya wasn’t planning on ruining the boy’s life like he was already planning to do to the others involved but he definitely wasn’t letting him off easy.

He quickly made a note of the descriptions Mikado gave him of the others as well as a mental note to gather information on them later. He felt the guilt stirring again when the boy mentioned them knowing his identity and made a note to plan the downfall of the Yellow Scarves as soon as he had a moment to breathe, he’d just find another way of achieving his goals, one which didn’t involve putting the teen in front of him in any more danger.

“I don’t know what to do.” The boy admitted shakily, Izaya furrowed his brow in thought. He was already planning on dealing with the gang and Mikado’s identity himself but that wasn’t the only thing that needed attention.

Even if the damage had already been repaired, the informant wasn’t comfortable with the idea of the teen returning to his apartment, he was sure Shinra and Celty wouldn’t mind the teen living with them until the situation was sorted. But that came with some problems of its own, notably Shizuo. Sure, the brute knew Izaya visited the doctor on the odd occasion, and the apartment was considered neutral territory…for the most part anyway. But if he was certain about keeping an eye on the teen while he healed, which he was, he didn’t exactly want to run the risk of encountering the blonde in a bad mood.

School was another issue, the boy’s recovery would take a few weeks at least and his parents would definitely be contacted if he missed too much. The informant recalled a conversation he’d had with the boy before, back before the teen had found out one of his dear online friends was one of the people his best friend had warned him about – the thought of the blonde warning him about dangerous people was enough to make the informant scoff – where the teen had opened up about his home situation. Sure, his parents weren’t terrible people but if word of what happened to their son reached them Izaya had no doubts that they’d drag him back to Saitama and never let him out of their sight again. He wasn’t going to let that happen, not just because he found the teen entertaining, but also because he knew just how bored the boy had been in his hometown.

He could have the teen move in with him, his apartment was one of the safer one’s in the city and it would make it easier to keep an eye on his condition. But that option also had some problems in the form of his assistant and sisters; Namie didn’t exactly make an effort to mask her dislike – to put it mildly – of the teen and he wasn’t sure how his sisters would react to Mikado, would they put a target on his back as well?

The school situation should be simple; he doubted the teachers would have any issues with him keeping the boy away once he made them aware of his condition but what about after that? Masaomi hadn’t done anything to him this time – physically at least – but there was no guarantees that he wouldn’t try his luck in the future. A bodyguard would work but who could he ask?

“You can stay with me while you heal.” He offered, deciding the risk would be worth it. The answering smile on the boy’s face only served to strengthen his resolve. ‘Oh Mikado,’ the informant thought to himself as he gently ruffled the boy’s hair, ‘just what are you doing to me?’


	4. Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikado settles in and Izaya begins stage one.

He found the journey back to his apartment infinitely more enjoyable than the last one, though that was largely due to the boy sitting between him and Celty on the dullahan’s bike. She’d offered to drop them off and the informant figured the teen would prefer it over any of the public transport options considering his current lack of sight.

[I’ll be back with his things in a few hours.] He merely nodded in reply, waiting until the biker was no longer in sight before venturing into the building. There were a few people in the lobby but he ignored them for the most part, glaring at the ones who seemed a bit too curious about the teen cradled in his arms, as he headed to the elevator.

“We’re almost there.” He reassured, choosing not to comment on the – admittedly adorable – blush decorating the boy’s cheeks. He knew the teen wasn’t exactly fond of being carried, but the informant much preferred his chances of getting the boy to safety – if needed – while holding him than he did pushing a wheelchair.

Actually getting into the apartment was easier than the informant initially thought it would be, he kicked the door shut, not bothering to lock it before carefully placing the teen on the couch. He left the room a few seconds later to get them something to drink, just barely remembering to verbalise what he was doing. Returning a moment later to witness the teen struggling to remove his jacket.

“Need a hand?” He smiled despite knowing that the teen couldn’t see it, Mikado turned to face him, nodding sheepishly before ducking his head. Izaya chuckled softly at the sight before heading over and unzipping it, he let the teen shrug it off himself, understanding that the boy probably wouldn’t appreciate being ‘babied’ – Shinra’s words not his – more than necessary.

“Thanks.” They sat there in silence for a few minutes, Izaya doubted the teen would want to talk about the current goings on with the gangs and TV wasn’t all that enjoyable unless you’re actually watching the screen. He knew they should probably decide on a course of action going forward but the last thing the informant wanted to do was rush the teen, not when he was still settling in.

“Are you sure this is okay?” Izaya glanced up when he heard the teen speak, he didn’t need to ask what the boy was talking about. He carefully grabbed the teen’s hands to stop him messing with the tape, smiling internally when the boy didn’t pull away.

“Do you really think I’d have offered if it wasn’t?” He asked, watching as the teen’s brows furrowed in thought. The informant couldn’t help but wonder whether his confusion stemmed from having someone care about him or if it was just his involvement that made it confusing. Not that it really mattered; he knew he hadn’t really done anything that wouldn’t make people suspicious of him.

“No.” Mikado answered after a short stretch of time, Izaya merely hummed in acknowledgement before letting go, moving to sit next to the boy instead of across from him.

The silence wasn’t anywhere near as awkward this time, lasting until the familiar screeching of the dullahan’s bike sounded outside. Izaya merely sent a message telling her to let herself in, remembering that he hadn’t locked the door and not wanting to dislodge the teen who had apparently decided his shoulder was a good enough pillow-substitute.

[Where am I putting these?] The informant merely nodded in the direction of the guest room, watching as the dullahan headed towards it, the boxes containing the teen’s things being carried by shadows behind her. Was that really all he had? Izaya supposed it shouldn’t surprise him, the teen had only come here for school – initially – and his apartment hadn’t exactly screamed ‘money’ but still, the informant had thought he would have more than three boxes – two if you didn’t count the one obviously housing his computer. The dullahan returned a moment later.

[Will that be all?] Izaya hummed in acknowledgement, half-expecting the dullahan to leave immediately afterwards, he quirked a brow when she merely stared at them.

“Is there a problem?” The dullahan shook her head – helmet? – shoulders shaking with something akin to laughter before snapping a picture of them, Izaya felt his jaw drop in mock-outrage at the audacity as she sent it to someone – most likely Shinra – before walking off. He’d remember to get back at her later. Mikado woke up a few moments later; Izaya had to grab his hands again to prevent him from rubbing his eyes.

“I think it’s time you went to bed.” The informant was relieved when the teen didn’t try to fight him on it, sure he’d done a fair bit of sleeping at Shinra’s but Izaya knew – from personal experience – that he probably wouldn’t regain his energy for another day or two. He picked the teen up carefully, chuckling softly when the boy made a sound akin to that of a startled kitten – he did not blush, whoever said that is a liar – and headed to the guest room, Mikado’s room, as his brain helpfully corrected. It was only after he’d sat the teen down on the bed and grabbed – what he assumed to be – pyjamas that the informant noticed their current problem.

“Do you want me to help?” He asked, watching as Mikado felt around for the change of clothes. The teen didn’t reply for a few seconds; too busy concentrating on getting his bearings.

“With the shirt, if that’s okay? I can do the rest.” Izaya hummed in acknowledgement, informing the teen that he was turning around, not wanting to disturb the boy’s privacy more than he already had – oh the irony.

“Okay.” He turned to face the teen, giving him a quick heads-up that he was going to start changing his shirt. The informant couldn’t help but frown when he caught sight of the boy’s torso; the bandage had been expected but he hadn’t quite imagined just how bad the bruising was, he made a mental note to prepare a few extra ice packs in the morning.

It wasn’t long before he was pulling the blanket over the boy’s shoulders, gently ruffling his hair before standing – he would deny all knowledge of his heart melting when the teen leaned into it. He pulled the boy’s phone from his pocket, ignoring the crack on the screen as he located his own contact information, and placed it on the end-table in case the teen needed him. He left the room then, pulling out his own phone to arrange a meeting with the boy’s school. He would destroy the people responsible after ensuring the teen had some form of normalcy to return to.


	5. Meeting

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izaya bumps into someone he really doesn’t want to deal with and makes some arrangements.

Settling things with the boy’s school was surprisingly easy, though Izaya knew he probably had his own reputation to thank for that. If there was one thing everyone in this city knew, it was to never piss him off when his business directly involved them.

“IZAYA!” Oh great, the informant sighed, carefully tucking the paperwork in his jacket before strolling into an alleyway to avoid the flying vending machine. Usually this was the part where he’d start running in an attempt to lure the brute into a potential hit and run, this time he merely leaned against the wall while he waited for the blonde to catch up, something which didn’t take long.

“What? Not running away this time?” Okay seriously? What was it with people and pinning him to walls lately? He was only joking about getting a new spine. He reached up to grab the former-bartender’s wrist, applying just enough pressure to prevent him cutting off his air supply.

“As much as I love our usual routine, now really isn’t a good time.” The teasing tone sounded forced, even to him, but he supposed it didn’t really matter. The blonde tightened his hold around his throat momentarily before dropping him, Izaya recovered quickly enough but he didn’t dart off just yet.

“Well? You don’t usually try to stop me.” Ah, so he had noticed this time was different. Izaya didn’t answer for a few moments, it wasn’t really any of the brute’s business but could he be useful? Hmm, there was only one way to find out.

“Tell me, what are your thoughts on Mikado Ryuugamine?” The blonde merely blinked at him in confusion, though Izaya supposed that was to be expected. The informant couldn’t say for certain whether the two of them had interacted before, but that wasn’t really important right now.

“Why are you asking me about a high school kid? You better not be up to something Flea.” Yeah, he deserved that. Had he been asked that a few days ago he probably would have started his usual spiel and ended it with a few vague comments not at all linked to the person in question, but right now? Well, if there was even a slim chance of him needing – and receiving – the brute’s help, he’d have to approach it differently.

“If I said I wanted to help him?” He was planning on doing more than merely helping the boy – wait what? Damn that Shinra for reminding him he had emotions – but the blonde didn’t need to know that.

“Oh yeah? That’s a first.” Shizuo scoffed, Izaya would’ve probably been offended had he been anyone else, but his reputation preceded him and the former-bartender would always be the last person to believe he wasn’t up to something. He didn’t reply, merely watched as the blonde thought something over.

“Fuck, you’re being serious aren’t you?” He didn’t answer verbally, choosing instead to hand over the paperwork he’d had Shinra fill out regarding the teen’s condition. The blonde’s expression changed a few times before settling on something half-way between anger and concern.

“Who did this?” The brute growled, it was the same tone he usually used a few seconds before ripping a street-sign out the concrete, Izaya found himself reaching for his knife but stopped before he could pull it out. The last thing he wanted right now was to pick a fight; he didn’t feel like dealing with his own injuries as well as Mikado’s.

“I’m already looking into them.” He wouldn’t tell Shizuo who it was, the former-bartender would be on his way to kill them if he did and the informant couldn’t let that happen; not because he needed them alive, but death was far too easy of a punishment.

“Then what do you need me for?” That was a good question; Izaya was more than capable of handling it all so why was he discussing it with the blonde? Oh right, he needed to avoid dying for a few weeks, but he doubted the brute would accept that answer.

“I have something in mind but that won’t come into play for a week or two.” The blonde furrowed his brow in confusion – or frustration – and Izaya found himself sighing as he made a mental note to properly fit the brute into his plans.

“Meet me at Shinra’s apartment in two weeks and we can discuss it then. Just keep me informed of anything you hear about the Yellow Scarves in the meantime.” Truthfully? He didn’t really need the blonde to tell him anything, his information network was more than good enough and he was fairly sure Masaomi would attempt to contact him again – he grit his teeth at the thought of it – so he’d likely manage to gain something from one of his targets. However, it would probably prevent the blonde from doing anything too hasty and – as much as he hated to admit it – there was still a chance that his network would miss something.

“Fine.” The brute grunted before handing the paperwork back to him – Izaya was mildly surprised he didn’t just throw it at his face – the informant watched him light a cigarette before walking off. ‘Well, that went well.’ With that thought in mind, the informant made his own exit, wasting no further time before heading back to his apartment.

It was quiet when he returned, not that he expected anything different. He’d lived on his own long enough, and Namie – when she actually visited, usually only because he asked first – wasn’t really one for conversation…unless that conversation was about her brother or a certain gang leader he was currently housing. His sisters were an exception, but they only ever visited when they felt like killing him…or to take advantage of his Wi-Fi in the event theirs was down – he made a mental note to change his password again. Mikado wasn’t much of a conversation partner – though that was probably more due to his current situation, at least Izaya liked to think of it that way – the informant hoped that would change as he became more comfortable.

“Mikado?” He called out, heading over to the couch where he’d left him that morning. He wasn’t entirely surprised to find the boy sleeping…at least he assumed he was sleeping, his breathing was slow enough for it. The informant found himself smiling as he snapped a quick picture, sending it to Ikebukero’s favourite biker before sitting down to look over some of the paperwork he’d received.


	6. Healing

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mikado goes for his first check-up and Izaya loses his jacket again.

The universe hated him, that was the only explanation for his current predicament. The dullahan had brought them here for Mikado’s first check-up since the incident so of course he’d end up running into Shizuo. Thankfully the blonde was too busy fiddling with his bandages – or maybe he remembered their agreement – to start anything.

“How’s the kid?” The former-bartender grunted, seemingly struggling with the simple task of being civil, not that Izaya really had a leg to stand on in that regard. Though why the brute was asking about Mikado was a mystery to him, was it because Izaya had – begrudgingly – asked for his help? Or did he genuinely care? He supposed it didn’t matter.

“He’s doing well, all things considered.” Which was true enough, the teen had been managing even better than the informant had expected, only really asking for help to other rooms and even then it was only because he didn’t have much of a choice.

The blonde huffed but didn’t say anything further, something which Izaya was happy about, he wasn’t really in the mood for a conversation. Time seemed to drag on despite the informant knowing they hadn’t been there for long, Shizuo had left already, mumbling something about his boss and work which he’d only half-listened to. He stood up quickly when Shinra entered the room; the smile on the man’s face was a good sign.

“He’s recovering faster than I expected.” Izaya felt a small pang of pride at that, of course he was, the boy was stronger than his initially timid appearance, maybe not in physical ability but his willpower was certainly something.

“I’ve removed some of his stitches but the rest of his wounds aren’t healed enough yet, as long as he takes it easy for the next week he should be fine.” That was good to hear, the informant grimaced as he recalled the time it took for some of his own injuries to heal in the past, it was pleasing to know the student wouldn’t have to deal with it for much longer.

“His hands are fine but I’d advise against typing or writing for a few days just to be sure.” That would certainly make things easier, Izaya knew first-hand just how frustrated the teen had started to get. Sure they’d been managing but not being able to do things you usually did without thinking was bound to get old fast. The informant felt some of the tension bleed from his shoulders.

“And his eyes?” He didn’t bother asking about the boy’s legs, it was highly unlikely they’d improve for another week at least but his eyes? They were the main source of his concern at the moment.

“The swelling’s gone down enough for him to open them; I’ve given him a sleep-mask to wear for now. I’ve told him to wear sunglasses for the next few days while his eyes readjust but I’ll let him keep the mask in case he needs to rest them some more. The rest of the swelling should fade on its own now; just run a hand towel under cold water if it bothers him.” Izaya made a quick mental note to get some blinds set up in his apartment, idly wondering why he hadn’t considered it before.

“Other than that, his legs are still healing as I expected. Have him rest them for another week and we’ll discuss our options then.” The informant merely nodded in acknowledgement before heading over to the room where Mikado had been treated last time. He stood in the doorway while the teen awkwardly pulled a loose shirt over his head; the boy’s bruises had already begun to fade, most of them being greenish in colour where they’d previously been purple.

“Ready to go?” The teen didn’t startle at his voice – relying solely on sound for a week did that – merely tilting his head in the informant’s direction before nodding. Izaya ventured further into the room, already shedding his jacket to wrap around the boy’s shoulders. He idly wondered whether he should get the teen his own jacket or simply give him his before shaking his head to clear it, he’d obviously been spending too much time around the doctor.

“I’m going to pick you up now.” The teen merely hummed in acknowledgement, Izaya ignored the voice in his head – which sounded suspiciously like Shinra’s – informing him of just how natural holding the boy felt. Mikado didn’t blush as heavily this time, though the informant knew that was to be expected, but there was still a faint colouring to his cheeks. ‘Snap out of it!’ He thought irritably to himself, finding himself thankful that the teen was currently unable to see his face.

Celty dropped them both off at his apartment a short while later; Izaya nodded his thanks to the dullahan, not bothering to wait for her to drive off before making the short walk to the elevator. They didn’t get as many stares this time but the informant wasn’t entirely sure whether or not that was a good thing, he quickly shook the thought off, deciding to blame it on his recent bout of inactivity.

“Do you want to try the sunglasses now or tomorrow?” He asked after ensuring the teen was settled, already dimming the lights as a precaution. He watched the boy think about it for a few seconds, not at all surprised when he asked to try them.

“Keep your eyes closed.” He instructed, removing the mask slowly to avoid irritating the swelling; it wasn’t as bad as he expected it to be but he still felt a guilty pang when he saw it. The sunglasses themselves had been reasonably cheap, he’d thought about getting a more expensive set before deciding against it; Mikado likely wouldn’t accept it if he knew they cost a lot, something which the informant found rather amusing.

“I’m going to turn the light up, let me know if it gets too bright.” He hadn’t increased the brightness by much when Mikado spoke up, something which probably would’ve concerned him if he hadn’t known just how long the boy’s eyes had been covered. It was a few shades dimmer than the informant would’ve liked but it wasn’t entirely unmanageable.

He took a seat next to the teen, not even needing to think about it, before grabbing the TV remote. Thankfully he’d remembered to dim the screen and move the couch further away before the check-up.

“Izaya?” He tilted his head to face the teen, pleasantly surprised when he felt the boy snuggle against his side – he did not blush, whoever said that is a liar.

“Thank you.” He smiled softly as he draped his arm around Mikado’s shoulders, idly fiddling with the fur lining on his hood as the teen tiredly nuzzled against his chest.

“Anytime.”


	7. Encounter

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Izaya resists the urge to throttle a child and gets contacted by someone he didn’t expect.

Izaya fiddled with the knife in his pocket, he wasn’t actually planning on using it but it gave him something to do while he waited for his _client_ to show up, not that he was actually going to be giving his services. He’d called Celty to keep an eye on Mikado while he was out, partially due to the teen still being unable to use his legs, and partially because he didn’t think it was a good idea for the boy to be left alone just yet.

He heard footsteps approaching him and quickly schooled his expression back into his usual mask before turning to face them.

“Kida.” He greeted neutrally, keeping his eyes on the blonde as he halted a few paces away from him. The boy appeared to be worried about something and Izaya couldn’t help but wonder why, a small hopeful voice in the back of his mind questioned whether he was worried about Mikado but he shut that thought down quickly – if the teen was worried about his _‘best friend’_ he would’ve tried to get in touch before now.

“Izaya.” He never knew he could hate hearing someone else say his name before now, sure the brute did it but that was usually accompanied by frustrated yelling which was always a source of entertainment – damn it, stop getting side-tracked – but now? He took a small breath to calm himself down, leaning against the wall beside him in an attempt to play it off as a sigh.

“So what did you need?” He wasn’t in the mood for his usual word games today – though that had been his constant state for the past week – and merely wanted to finish up this meeting as quickly as he could. If Kida noticed anything different about his behaviour he didn’t mention it.

“Things are still a mess between the Yellow Scarves and the Dollars, I was wondering if you knew why.” It wasn’t worded as a question. Izaya felt a brief flash of anger trying to resurface at the knowledge that the blonde seemed to care more for the gang war than he did his own friend – something he might’ve once found amusing – who probably would have died if he hadn’t decided to pay him a visit.

“You’ll have to be more specific.” He couldn’t prevent some of the coldness from leaking into his tone and casually crossed his arms in an attempt to lessen the urge to draw his knife.

“The Dollars are still active.” The teen replied as though that explained everything. Izaya grit his teeth in annoyance at what the gang leader had unknowingly confirmed.

“So, you thought going after Mikado would solve all your problems?” He saw the teen stiffen though he doubted it was out of regret, the state Mikado had been in flashed in his mind briefly.

“What did he tell you?” Izaya scoffed at that, standing upright while ensuring his expression hadn’t slipped.

“Mikado?” He laughed mirthlessly, feeling a brief flash of satisfaction at the way Kida flinched. “Mikado didn’t have to tell me anything.” He watched as the blonde squared his shoulders, it was a bit late to use the righteous anger card but the informant decided to indulge him.

“What did you do?” If Izaya were anyone else he’d probably be scared of that tone, but he wasn’t anyone else, and the tone only succeeded in annoying him even further.

“What did _I_ do? I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific, there’s plenty that I’ve done.” Was he taunting him? Yes, did he particularly care? No.

“Mikado wouldn’t have _joined_ a gang unless someone convinced him. You honestly expect me to believe that he would’ve started one without any outside influence?” Now that really did irritate him, if he was so adamant that Mikado wasn’t capable of doing it unprompted why did he let him get beat up? And how could he know so little about his own friend? Pathetic.

“If you’re so sure that he’d never do it under his own power, why did you let him get hurt? To scare him away?” The blonde actually glared at that, something which the informant would have previously found amusing.

“You weren’t there.” Izaya rolled his eyes, really? He couldn’t be a smidge more creative?

“Oh I was there.” He couldn’t help but grin at the brief flash of fear in the teen’s expression, it was all teeth and lacked warmth but he didn’t care. “Did you even think about what could’ve happened to him after you left?”

“He was fine.” The informant wasn’t sure who the blonde was trying to convince but it definitely wasn’t him, he narrowed his eyes.

“Fine?” The startled expression on Kida’s face made it clear that he’d realised his mistake, unfortunately for him Izaya wasn’t planning on letting him off easy. “You call bleeding out ‘fine’? You call being stuck in a building without a front door and no way to defend himself ‘fine’?” He hadn’t realised he was moving until he had to tilt his head to see the teen’s face, the boy was pale and shaky but the informant highly doubted it was out of concern.

“Why do you care?” Maybe because Mikado was the only one who didn’t instantly think he was involved every time something went wrong? Maybe it was because Mikado was the only one who actually understood how he saw the world? Not that he’d actually admit that.

“Why don’t you?” The teen didn’t reply, Izaya scoffed before turning his back.

“If that’s all you wanted, I have places to be.” He didn’t look back, gang leader or not there wasn’t anything Kida could do to him. “Oh, and one more thing.” He stopped, not needing to look to know that the teen was still there.

“Stay away from Mikado.” And with that, he headed out; he did have other clients to speak to after all.

He hadn’t been walking for long when his phone buzzed; he pulled it out of his pocket believing that it was Celty messaging him about Mikado as he’d asked. The name at the top of the screen had him furrowing his brow.

**> >>Saika: **Can we talk?

Now this was a surprise. The informant quickly typed out an address, already heading in that direction without waiting for a reply, what could Sonohara – and that damn sword by extension – want from him?


	8. Recruitment

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Izaya recruits another member to the Mikado Protection Squad.

Sonohara was already waiting there when he arrived, not that it surprised him. He’d chosen to meet up where he’d first seen Saika in person, partially because it was a fairly public place, and partially because he wanted to be able to get away quickly if things went wrong. Not that he was particularly worried about that.

“Orihara.” The girl greeted when she noticed him. That damn sword of hers was nowhere in sight and her eyes were their natural colour instead of the glowing red, the informant found that mildly comforting but he still didn’t drop his guard.

“Sonohara.” He greeted, deciding it was probably in his best interest to avoid teasing her about the sword for now. “What did you need?” If she was surprised by the unusual lack of mischief to his words she didn’t show it, merely ducking her head in thought as though debating whether coming to him was a wise decision.

“I haven’t heard from Mikado lately, I talked to Masaomi briefly but he didn’t say much.” He felt a brief flash of irritation from earlier. So, not only did Kida practically leave his best friend – those two words were starting to sound increasingly fake the more they cropped up – to die, he also decided that their other friend didn’t deserve to know what had happened. “Please, do you know if he’s okay?” The informant stared at her for a few moments before sighing and motioning to the seating area.

“This isn’t a conversation to be had standing up.” He saw her jaw clench as she took a seat, pausing for only a moment before sitting beside her, close enough to hold a conversation but still with a sizeable gap between them. “I can’t tell you everything.” He warned, Sonohara merely nodded, she wasn’t looking at him but he knew she was listening.

“I know.” That was all the confirmation Izaya needed. He didn’t tell her about Mikado’s status as the founder of the Dollars, and – after a brief moment of hesitation – decided not to tell her about Kida’s involvement. He didn’t care about the blonde – or how others saw him – but he doubted Mikado would be happy with him driving a wedge between his friends, even after Kida left him to die the injured teen still cared about him. He didn’t show her the pictures either, though something told him he didn’t have to.

“He’s recovering, but he still has a long way to go.” He finished, idly fiddling with his knife to give Sonohara time to process his words.

“Can I see him?” The informant paused, glancing at her while he considered the request; Sonohara was one of Mikado’s friends and he doubted Saika would try anything, but there was still a nagging voice in the back of his mind that believed this was a bad idea.

“I’ll have to check with Mikado.” He pulled his phone from his pocket, opening the chatroom for himself, Mikado and Celty.

**> IO: **Sonohara knows.

**> MR: **How much?

**> IO: **Just that you were attacked, I didn’t tell her about the Dollars or Kida’s involvement.

**> CS: **How did she take it?

**> IO: **As well as can be expected.

**> IO: **Mikado, she wants to see you, are you alright with that?

**> MR: **Yeah.

He didn’t reply, merely pocketing his phone before rising to his feet. He didn’t need to look to know that Sonohara was watching him; her gaze was surprisingly heavy on his back. The informant briefly considered getting a ride but shook the thought off quickly, he didn’t want to even think about the rumours _that_ could spark. He walked a few steps, pausing when he realised the teen hadn’t moved, right - he’d got used to being in tune with Mikado – not everyone noticed non-verbal cues.

“Do you want to see him or not?” The teen was hesitant as she stood up to join him – not that he could blame her – though not as much as he’d expected her to be. The walk was spent in silence which suited both of them just fine, he knew the girl was uncomfortable around him – when the sword wasn’t in her hand at least – and there wasn’t really any usefull information he could get out of her at this stage. It was awkward, but not unbearable.

It took longer than he thought it would to reach his apartment, largely due to having to make sure the teen was still behind him – a good observer he may be but Sonohara didn’t have much of a presence when the sword wasn’t involved. The lobby was mostly empty when they arrived, something which he was thankful for; the stares he got whenever he entered or left the building with Mikado were enough.

They took the stairs instead of the elevator, partially to give Sonohara time to compose herself – at least, that’s what he would say if asked – but mostly because he doubted she’d be happy sharing such a cramped space with him, even if would only be for a few seconds.

“Housekeeping!” He called jovially as he entered the apartment, grinning when he heard the muffled snort from the couch where he’d left Mikado that morning. He nodded a brief greeting to the dullahan before joining her near the kitchen counter, mostly in an attempt to give the teens some form of privacy – yes he did know what that meant, shut up Shinra – while also to provide backup for his roommate if needed. He didn’t really listen to the conversation; most of it was about the parts that he’d already told her about, though he did tune in when he heard a certain name get mentioned.

“Does Masaomi know?” Even with the sunglasses Izaya could see the pain in the boy’s eyes, he watched as the teen bowed his head and he could tell the biker was concerned as well.

“Masaomi was there.” The words sounded painful and Izaya forced himself to block out the rest of the conversation, he was still pissed at the blonde from earlier, listening to a retelling of his involvement on top of that would likely lead to him doing something he’d come to regret. When he glanced at them again the two of them were clinging to each other as though their lives depended on it, he could see the beginnings of tear tracks materialising beneath Mikado’s glasses, and – judging by the slight tremors in her shoulders – he knew Sonohara was in a similar state.

He interrupted them a few moments later, curfew was getting closer and while Izaya didn’t doubt that Sonohara would stay if Mikado asked, he also knew she wouldn’t be comfortable with spending the night in an apartment with him as well. The two say their goodbyes; Celty chose that moment to take her own leave, offering a ride to the teen shortly before closing the door behind her. He settled into the spot their most recent guest had vacated, slipping an arm around Mikado’s shoulders while the boy curled into his side.

“How are you feeling?” He asked, idly flicking through the TV channels while the teen made himself comfy.

“Better, I think.” That was good, the Informant nodded to himself, gently pulling the teen closer. He turned the TV off a few moments later; there wasn’t really anything worth watching. They end up falling asleep a short while later.


	9. Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another time-skip.

The four of them made an odd group, Izaya thought idly while they waited. Despite the few failed attempts at a group conversation, they weren’t exactly sitting in silence. Sonohara was awkwardly holding a conversation with Celty, though what they were talking about he didn’t know, not that he really cared. Shizuo wasn’t exactly quiet either despite not attempting to talk to them – likely in an attempt to avoid a confrontation – something which the informant was thankful for.

“Izaya.” He’d already started standing when he’d heard the door creak, something which the doctor didn’t seem surprised by. He ignored the knowing grin on the other man’s face as they headed to the guest room. Mikado was sitting up, awkwardly glancing around the room when they showed up – Izaya would deny all knowledge of the brief flash of joy he felt when the boy smiled at him.

“Alright Mikado, we need to discuss your physiotherapy options before you go and see your friends in the other room.” The teen merely nodded, Izaya took that as his cue to take a seat next to him, interlacing their fingers in an attempt to provide some form of comfort.

“Okay, try standing; I’m sure Izaya wouldn’t mind assisting.” The informant mock glared at his friend but he did squeeze the boy’s hand in reassurance. Mikado took a breath before attempting to stand, his joints cracking from lack of use, Izaya couldn’t help but notice just how badly he was shaking. The boy was only able to maintain the position for a few moments before having to lower himself back down, the informant bit back a wince when a white-knuckled grip wrapped around his shoulder. He wrapped his arm around the teen’s shoulders in silent-reassurance.

“Well, you were able to stand so regaining the ability to walk is a possibility.” They both sighed in relief; Izaya spared the boy a proud smile before returning his attention to the doctor. “The main priority now should be building up and strengthening the muscles in your legs, I’ll find you a set of crutches before you leave.” So they’d need a ride from the dullahan later, not that that was a problem.

“Is there anything we should know?” It sounded simple enough but Izaya wasn’t willing to risk anything – for once.

“Just don’t try to rush it and you’ll be fine, I’ll email you a starter plan shortly and we can adjust it later if we have to.” That would have to do, Izaya thought to himself with an inaudible sigh. “Now, I believe there’s some people here we need to have a talk with.” Right, this would not be fun.

The three of them headed back to re-join the others; Izaya pointedly ignored the glances the others threw at them while he placed Mikado in one of the seats. He couldn’t help an amused grin when he saw Celty push Shinra off the couch, he wasn’t sure – nor did he care – what the doctor did to irritate the dullahan but it was worth it.

“So, are we going to get started or what?” Shizuo grunted, tossing the cigarette he’d been smoking before shutting the balcony door. It was clear he didn’t want to be here for longer than necessary, which the informant couldn’t really fault him for.

“We probably should.” The doctor piped up, finally managing to claim a spot next to the biker, ‘not that it was that hard.’ Izaya thought to himself in amusement, waiting until everyone had settled – well, settled as much as they could considering the situation – before speaking up.

“Does anyone need to be reminded of what happened?” He asked, idly rubbing Mikado’s back when he saw the teen stiffen in his peripheral. He knew the boy likely wanted to be anywhere else but it was important that the teen knew what was going to happen, plus he deserved to have his own wishes heard. No one went to speak up so he took that as confirmation that they didn’t need to hear the events again, he was about to say something else when Celty lifted her PDA.

[Do you know who was involved?] He could just say it was the Yellow Scarves and leave it at that, but that wouldn’t be very useful. Sure, in theory they had the power to take the gang down, but even if they could guarantee fixing the problem using that method the informant knew the others likely wouldn’t be keen on getting that involved in a gang war.

“I have the names of the people Mikado remembered seeing and some of my contacts are keeping an eye on them.” He had wanted to deal with them sooner but he couldn’t rule out the possibility of there being others involved – at least that’s what he’d say if anyone questioned him on it – but mostly because he knew Mikado wouldn’t approve of it, and while normally that wasn’t enough to deter him, it was probably in his best interest to not upset the teen while he was still staying with him.

“So what did you need us for?” Shizuo asked, his tone didn’t carry as much annoyance as it usually did when the two of them were in the same room but it was still there, Izaya resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

“We don’t know for certain whether or not they were the only ones involved and, as shocking as it may seem, I can’t be everywhere at once.” The former-bartender grumbled for a few seconds but didn’t say anything in reply, though whether it was out of agreement or an unwillingness to argue he didn’t know.

“What about Masaomi?” Sonohara was hesitant when she spoke but he words sounded a tad too loud – though that was probably his imagination – in the tense silence. Someone had to address the elephant in the room, and judging by the way he flinched at the blonde’s name, it wouldn’t have been Mikado.

“For now I have someone keeping an eye on him. There’s a chance that he’ll realise what he did, albeit a slim one. As for how to deal with him...” He trailed off with a sigh, glancing at Mikado in an attempt to gauge his opinion; the boy’s expression was disturbingly blank. “I guess we’ll just see what he does and act accordingly.” He would prefer to deal with the blonde properly, but it was ultimately Mikado’s decision, and the teen didn’t appear too keen to decide his friend’s – or should it be former friend’s? – fate.

“We’re just going to do nothing? Then what was the point of calling us here?” That tone was more familiar, Izaya couldn’t help but glare at the former-bartender. This wasn’t a situation they could just punch through.

“We need to be careful about this.” Izaya reprimanded, feeling very much like he was talking to a child. “Our first priority is Mikado’s safety, going after the Yellow Scarves is pointless if we can’t guarantee that.” He placed a comforting hand on the teen’s shoulder when he bowed his head.

[So, what’s the plan?] He smiled thankfully in the dullahan’s direction, glancing at the others before speaking again.

“Mikado’s currently staying with me so we don’t have to worry when he’s home, plus Celty takes over when I’m not there.” It sounded a bit too much like they were talking about a small child but he supposed it didn’t really matter.

“Shinra’s role is the same as it has been for the past two weeks and Celty is able to offer protection while they’re here.” The doctor appeared mildly insulted that he didn’t list him as a protector, something which provided a brief moment of amusement.

“Shizuo, I’ll need you to keep an eye on the gang activity and to step in if they try anything in public.” He didn’t really need the brute to observe the gangs but having him step in when needed would likely be enough to deter some would-be attackers. The blonde huffed at his assignment but he didn’t move to argue it, something which the informant decided to mark as a win.

“What should I do?” He glanced at Sonohara then, the teen still sounded a tad nervous but there was a determination in there that he appreciated. Ideally he’d have her put that sword to good use but he doubted she’d be comfortable with that – and he knew Mikado wasn’t ready for that particular revelation just yet – so he settled for the next best thing.

“Mikado will have to return to school sometime next week, regardless of how well his physiotherapy goes, so you’ll be looking out for him there.” The teen didn’t speak again but she did nod in acknowledgement, and that was all he needed. They all went their separate ways a short while later, thoughts consumed by anticipation for the next week.


	10. Return

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mikado returns to school.
> 
> Chapter 10 plus the Epilogue.

Mikado knew he’d have to go back to school, and – by extension – see Masaomi again soon, but that didn’t mean he was looking forward to it. There was no doubt in his mind that Izaya would let him stay at the apartment for a few more days but he didn’t want to inconvenience the informant more than he already had, and – despite his reputation – the older man couldn’t keep coming up with excuses, not without attracting suspicion.

“Are you ready?” He swallowed down the ‘no’ he could feel working its way up his throat, instead merely nodding in his friend’s direction before they started heading into the building. He felt more than saw the stares as he struggled with his crutches, not yet comfortable with the handicap, and couldn’t help being thankful that he’d decided against a wheelchair.

“Sorry about this.” He sighed when he caught site of the white-knuckled grasp Anri had around his bag strap – she’d grabbed it before he’d even stood up – he knew she wasn’t comfortable being the centre of attention and being near him right now certainly wasn’t helping.

“It’s fine, don’t apologise.” Her tone didn’t change but he felt a small part of him relax regardless. They didn’t speak much for the rest of the trek to their classroom, it was slower than either of them would’ve liked but manageable. The real problem was the person they found waiting for them next to the door.

“Masaomi?” He tried to ignore just how heavy the blonde’s name felt in his mouth, he was distantly aware of Anri’s hand on his shoulder. His old friend mostly looked the same as he always did – sure Mikado had only been out of action for a little over two weeks but it had felt longer – though the shadows under his eyes and the unruliness of his hair was enough of a giveaway that something was wrong.

“Mikado I-“ whatever the blonde had been about to say ended up being drowned out by the bell, he allowed Anri to guide him into the room, trying to ignore the crestfallen expression that briefly flashed across Masaomi’s face.

Other than a brief welcome back from their teacher the class continued as normal – well, not counting the brief whispers that broke out among his classmates – he found himself strangely enjoying the return to routine. The rest of the day followed a similar pattern, the whispers fading into the background as he focused on his work; he couldn’t help but feel thankful that Izaya had been so proactive in getting him to do the cover work he’d collected from his teachers. Sure they hadn’t been able to eat on the roof as usual but they did find some relatively private seats outside which provided a nice enough reprieve.

“What are you going to do after this?” The girl asked, he merely sighed, fiddling with his blazer sleeve as he considered the question. There were a few things she could be referring to but there was only one thing she could be asking right now; where will you go? Truth be told he didn’t know.

“We haven’t really talked about it.” Sure Izaya had offered to house him until the end of his recovery but what happened after that? He didn’t really want to return to old apartment – he doubted he’d be able to considering the state it had been left in – and he doubted the informant would be okay with him moving in permanently.

“You probably should.” He chanced a glance at her; she wasn’t looking at him, instead choosing to stare at the floor. “He seems to care about you.” He furrowed his brow in thought; the informant had been surprisingly attentive over the time he’d spent living with him.

Surprisingly enough they didn’t run into Masaomi again until the end of the day, the two of them halting when they spotted him near the front gate. He felt his legs shake though he wasn’t sure if it was out of apprehension or whether he’d simply overworked them.

“You don’t have to do this now.” He barely heard Anri’s voice, smiling in what he hoped was a reassuring manner before facing the boy in front of them. The blonde looked worried though Mikado couldn’t help but wonder how genuine it was.

He saw the boy speak but he didn’t actually hear any of the words, merely waited for him to leave before taking a breath he hadn’t realised he’d been holding. The two of them stood there for a few more minutes before finally heading home, and yes, Celty did give them a ride when they ran into her.

***-* *-* *-***

Izaya was waiting for him when they got back, leaning on the wall near the entrance to the apartment building while idly looking at his phone. He glanced up when the bike came to a stop, heading over while the dullahan handed Mikado his crutches.

“So how was it?” He sounded genuinely curious though Mikado doubted anything he said would be all that interesting. He decided to humour him anyway, trying to ignore the way the man’s face darkened when he mentioned Masaomi.

“Sounds eventful, you must be tired.” He didn’t have time to bite back the yawn he felt bubbling up in his throat, flushing slightly when he heard the informant laugh – it was strangely soft but he shook that thought off quickly.

“Maybe just a little.” He admitted sheepishly, Izaya merely laughed again before resting a hand against his back. Celty waved a brief goodbye before speeding off, Mikado waited until the biker had rounded one of the nearby buildings before allowing the informant to lead him inside.  
  
 ***-* *-* *-***  
  
It took a few weeks for things to calm down; both gangs were still active but instead of being on the verge of an all-out gang war, there was a tentative truce. Sure tensions hadn’t exactly faded but people weren’t being targeted for supposedly being Dollars members anymore, at least, not that he’d heard.

Mikado hadn’t been targeted again, though that was likely due to him being seen in the company of people that the smarter gang members knew not to pick fights with, as well as what happened to most of the Yellow Scarves members who had been at his apartment that day, he didn’t entirely know what happened to them but – judging by the expression on Izaya’s face when he first brought it up – he wasn’t sure he wanted to know.

His friendship with Masaomi was another issue that he wasn’t sure what to make of. They had managed a few conversations but most of them had been awkward – to say the least – usually ending with one of them making up an excuse to leave, but it would likely be a few more weeks at least before he could consider their bond fixed. Anri was still standing by him, something he was infinitely thankful for. As for his housing situation-

“Mikado. We’re going to be late.” He smiled as he grabbed his jacket on the way out – he wasn’t sure when _Izaya’s_ jacket became _his_ jacket but that wasn’t important – the informant’s arm naturally coming to rest around his shoulders now that he didn’t have to worry about dodging the crutches. Hopefully the local biker wouldn’t be too upset with them; he liked his partner being in one piece after all.


End file.
